Summer Charm
by June Dudley

Summer in the South (1903)
by Paul Laurence Dunbar

The oriole sings in the greening grove
As if he were half-way waiting,
The rosebuds peep from their hoods of green,
Timid, and hesitating.
The rain comes down in a torrent sweep
And the nights smell warm and pinety,
The garden thrives, but the tender shoots
Are yellow-green and tiny.
Then a flash of sun on a waiting hill,
Streams laugh that erst were quiet,
The sky smiles down with a dazzling blue
And the woods run mad with riot.

Paul Laurence Dunbar was the first African-American to gain national eminence as a poet. Born in 1872 in Dayton, Ohio, he was the son of ex-slaves and classmate to Orville Wright of aviation fame.
Although he lived to be only 33 years old, Dunbar was prolific, writing short stories, novels, librettos, plays, songs and essays as well as the poetry for which he became well known. He was popular with black and white readers of his day, and his works are celebrated today by scholars and school children alike.
His style encompasses two distinct voices — the standard English of the classical poet and the evocative dialect of the turn-of-the-century black community in America. He was gifted in poetry — the way that Mark Twain was in prose — in using dialect to convey character.

Source: http://www.dunbarsite.org/sites.asp

Link back to the Poetry Wednesday tour on Laurita’s page

delete reply starfishred wrote on Aug 10, ’09 WONDERFUL PIECE AND SO SAD THAT HE DIED SO YOUNG

delete reply caffeinatedjo wrote on Aug 10, ’09 He does aptly and eloquently describe a southern summer.  He just forgot the humidity ;).

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Aug 10, ’09 caffeinatedjo said He just forgot the humidity ;). Yeah, like the 95% humidity I had to put up with at the Florida Keys a couple of weeks ago.

delete reply skyerider wrote on Aug 11, ’09 I love your posts. I always learn so much… and the poems are super.

delete reply fransformation wrote on Aug 11, ’09 Thank you for the introduction to Dunbar. I enjoed this poem very much. http://fransformation.multiply.com/journal/item/344/A_Poem_After_Sixty

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Aug 11, ’09 skyerider said love your posts. I always learn so much… and the poems are super. Thank you so much for your kind comment. I also learn so much when I do my research about poets that I have never heard of. Dunbar was considered a wonderful poet for his time.

delete reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Aug 11, ’09 Very lovely, sis! Great music!! You always give 110% 🙂

delete reply bostonsdandd wrote on Aug 14, ’09 LOL I agree with Jo. He forgot about the humidity LOL. BUT, I love the way he described the South in the Summer. *Sigh* Even in the dog days of August there’s nothing like it :o).

edit delete reply lauritasita wrote on Aug 14, ’09 bostonsdandd said *Sigh* Even in the dog days of August there’s nothing like it :o). Yep.

delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 14, ’09 Very informative Laurita, love your posts I always learn something new. I followed the link but couldn’t find out why he did so young. It says he suffered depression and began drinking too much but it doesn’t say exactly why he died. So sad that he should die so young.